Sports desk:

Following a 73 from Liton Das Bangladesh bowlers struck in the evening session of third day that powered them in the driving seat of the second and final Test against India at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Saturday.

With Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam scalping three and one wicket respectively the tourists were reduced to 45-4 at stumps in their second innings.

Now India need 100 runs to win the game with two days to spare and secure the series 2-0 after taking an 87-run first-innings lead thanks to rapid fifties by Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer.

Axar Patel and night watchman Jaydev Unadkat remained unbeaten on 26 and 3 runs respectively.

The hosts resumed their innings on 7-0 with their overnight batsmen Najmul Hossain Shanto and Zakir Hasan remaining unbeaten on 5 and 2 runs respectively.

However, the pair couldn’t extend their innings as long as they were expecting after Ravichandran Ashwin trapped Najmul Hossain Shanto for 5.

In the next stand Mominul Haque who struck 84 in his comeback tie in the first innings after a six-month pause fell for 5 by Siraj.

Then skipper Shakib Al Hasan added 25 runs in the third wicket stand with his partner Zakir prior to his dismissal for 13 by Unadkat.

Mushfiqur Rahim was expected to overcome his run drought following his poor shows 28, 23 and 26 in the series was excluded for 9 by Axar to leave the hosts to a reeling 71-4 at lunch.

The touring side kept striking at the regular interval following the day’s initial hiatus that aided them to remove Zakir for 51 by Umesh Yadav followed by Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Nurul Hasan for a duck and 51 respectively by Axar Patel to reduce them 195-7 at tea.

Then Liton Das formed a crucial 60 run stand with Taskin Ahmed in the eighth wicket stand to curb the wreck before he was dismissed by Siraj.

Meanwhile the right hander survived twice on 17, 27 and 49 by Virat on the way fifteenth Test fifty.

In the late order Taskin made an unbeaten 46-ball 31.